Crystal Valley Blog

Inspired Eating: Deliciously Simple Recipes

POSTED September 11, 2018

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What’s the old adage about eating to live, not living to eat? If ENJOYING your food is as important as its nutritional value – you’ll like this assortment of tempting recipes that elevate meals to nourishing nirvana. We dug deep into online recipes for some of the most tantalizing dishes we could find, and discovered back-to-basic ideas as well as inspired dishes. You’ll be tempted by A Simple Pantry’s Sweet and Smoky Pulled Pork Cornbread Waffle Sliders — that’s a mouthful in more ways than one – and blogger Karly’s quick and easy SkilletBruchetta Chicken with Balsamic Glaze. We practically guarantee it.

So, check out these tantalizing discoveries and get off the microwave treadmill for a look at inspired eating that promises mouth-watering, lip-smacking goodness!

Easy Gourmet Recipes

Karly, blogging for A Simple Pantry, the “easy gourmet” recipe site, tells us that the savory waffles are food heaven and between these and her Pepperoni Pizza Waffles, she doesn’t know which is better. Guess you’ll have to decide!

Lindsay at A Pinch of Yum used to be a fourth-grade school teacher. Now she teaches adults how to make yummy inspired meals and desserts that don’t take a lot of time, effort or money. Her Tandoori Chicken recipe is one of those make-ahead meals you can double batch and freeze for a day or night when time is not on your side.

Carol Lou at A Passion for Entertaining rocks a recipe until it’s unrecognizable to the average home cook, but a challenge and delight to the gourmand looking for something deliciously novel. Like her Bacon Pops, Stone Fruit Spinach Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing and Alaska Inspired Crab Soup. Even if you’re not usually a shellfish kind of eater, the brandy, butter, onions and half-and-half combine to make a bowlful of really yummy soup that you’ll want to remember when the temperatures drop in a few weeks.

Want an easy gourmet option you don’t have to fix yourself? The Manna Restaurant in the Adventist Hospital in Castle Rock may not be the first place you’d pick, but if you look at the reviews about the food – they’re off the charts. It’s a cafeteria atmosphere with fine cuisine that is “outstanding, fresh, tasty, well-prepared and generally healthy.” They support local farmers and even have their own garden.

Inspired Recipes For the Quick Cook

For home cook enthusiasts who are short on time and want simple recipes they can whip up in a flash, Kristen at Dizzy, Busy and Hungry works hard to take the “hard” out of easy-to-make recipes for busy cooks. Check out her Basil and Blue Cheese Sweet Potato Bites, Beef and Orzo Skillet, and a Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Cake with three ingredients and no eggs!

Simply Recipes blogger Elise shares a green bean salad with basil, balsamic and parmesan that takes about seven minutes to prepare. The secret to keeping beans green and slightly crisp, by the way is to cook for six minutes then plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking. And if you’re adding vinegar, like in Elise’s recipe, coat them with oil first or they’re turn olive drab.

Creative Cocktails, Anyone?

Susannah at Feast and West makes a mean margarita by adding spicy jalapenos and blackberries, her sweet Strawberry Mimosas and Birthday Cake White Russians are out of this world and her own special concoctions. And that’s not all. Her list of unusual cocktails from a Brandy Alexander, South African style, to a ginger peach Bourbon Smash will tantalize your taste buds all while giving you an adult beverage surge of satisfaction. If you know what we mean!

Inspiration in Crystal Valley

There’s still plenty of time to enjoy dining alfresco in the master-planned community of Crystal Valley, with five-minute access to epicurean eateries right in downtown Castle Rock! If you’re new to the area, visit the stunning models from D.R. Horton,Kauffman Homes and Richmond American Homes — priced from the $300s and available in ranch and two-story designs.

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